By Megan Willett and Meredith Galante of Business Insider
You have the power to make yourself happier.
That's what we learned from 13 scientific studies that discovered small changes we can all make to improve our outlook on life.
From writing down the good parts of your day to simply smiling, here are a few proactive steps you can take towards becoming a happier you. less

By Megan Willett and Meredith Galante of Business Insider You have the power to make yourself happier. That's what we learned from 13 scientific studies that discovered small changes we can all make to ... more

Spending money on other people instead of yourself makes you feel happier, a study published in "Psychological Bulletin" found.
The study concluded that "the happiest people were the biggest givers, no matter what they earned." They always felt better donating to charities and giving to others than splurging on themselves.

Spend money on other people Spending money on other people... Photo-4864019.65588 - Houston Chronicle

Image 3 of 18

Count your blessings

Literally.
University of Pennsylvania professor Martin Seligman (as well as multiple other independent studies) proved that people who wrote down three good things that happened to them every night were significantly happier than the control group.
They don't even have to be important: Your crush smiling at you or your spouse remembering to buy your favorite dessert count, too.

Anticipating happiness actually makes you happy.
Studies have shown that it's human nature to forestall an enjoyable event. Looking forward to a nice dinner or eating all of your Halloween candy is part of the fun

Researchers from the University of Sussex showed that exposing yourself to the color blue sent "self confidence soaring, cut stress, and boosts happiness."
The study found that when people saw blue, their brain waves showed increased happiness.
According to The Daily Mail, our love for blue comes from our ancestors "linking the color of the afternoon and evening sky to the feeling of a day well spent, and the prospect of a good night's sleep."

that people who set objectives for themselves — whether it's short-term or long-term — are happier than those who don't.
And the University of Wisconsin neuroscientist Richard Davidson found that working towards a goal won't just activate positive feelings, but also suppress negative emotions.

Dr. Deepak Chopra, author of The Ultimate Happiness Prescription: 7 Keys to Joy and Enlightenment, has said that maintaining neutrality is the best way to keep yourself happy.
"You can save 99 percent of your psychological energy — and feel happier — if you can stop defending your point of view,” says Chopra.

In a recent study, people who attended church regularly responded that they were happier and more satisfied with their lives than people who were not religious.
Bruce Headey, an associate professor at the University of Melbourne, researched happiness among a group of people for 25 years, and found that people who went to church stayed thin, avoided worrying about their careers, and had emotionally stable partners.

Go to church In a recent study, people who attended church... Photo-4864026.65588 - Houston Chronicle

Image 12 of 18

Sleep at least six hours every night

Six hours and 15 minutes a night of un-interrupted sleep makes for the happiest people, a study commissioned by the British company Yeo Valley found.
The study asked adults ages 18 to 65 to rate their level of happiness on a scale of one to five. Those who slept around six hours and 15 minutes a night ranked the happiest.

Slash your commute to 20 minutes From the same British study that... Photo-4864028.65588 - Houston Chronicle

Image 14 of 18

Make sure you have at least 10 good friends

Adults who said they had 10 good friends were happier than those who could count five or less close friends, research from Nottingham University found.
And it seemed the "more the merrier" really did apply. The more friends one had, the happier he or she seemed.
The study concluded that we should nourish our friendships to help enrich our own personal happiness.

Make sure you have at least 10 good friends Adults who said they... Photo-4864029.65588 - Houston Chronicle

Image 15 of 18

Taboola Gallery Frame Item-85307.65588 - Houston Chronicle

Image 16 of 18

Fake it 'til you make it

It may seem like a lot of work, but acting happy when you're actually sad really can make you feel better.
Several studies have shown that just the act of smiling can cause people to experience happy feelings.

Fake it 'til you make it It may seem like a lot of work, but... Photo-4864030.65588 - Houston Chronicle

Image 17 of 18

Find yourself in a romantic relationship

Our relationships with our significant others have a large effect on our happiness.
People in relationships were generally found to be happier than other people, and spouses have the highest sense of well-being whether they are happily married or not,